


Beyond Destiny

by RonRos47



Category: Roswell (TV 1999)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-29 06:13:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17802563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RonRos47/pseuds/RonRos47
Summary: Michael and Isabel come together in something far greater than destiny.





	Beyond Destiny

**Author's Note:**

> I have always loved Michael and Isabel. The first time I ever saw them was as they walked side by side in the episode 'The Convention.' I thought they were a couple right then and there. Too bad they weren't. They became mine though. They've been my ship ever since.
> 
> This marks the first story I'm posting about them on archive. I've written others in the long ago past. So glad to be writing for them again.

“Michael, this can’t be”, said Isabel.

“I know,” Michael replied, “but why not?”

Isabel looked at him for a moment and before she could say anything, or even drink the milk Michael had brought over for her, Max walked into the Crashdown and headed straight for them. “We need to talk,” he said in a whisper.

Isabel was pacing as the three of them stood in the desert near the water reservoir like they’d done many times before. 

“How could this be happening,” she asked, “this can’t be happening.”

She stopped in her place and looked at Michael, then at Max. “And you’re sure?”

“Tess confirmed it,” said Max, “You’re definitely pregnant.” Isabel squirmed at the word. “There’s more.” 

“How could there be more,” Michael asked.

Max went on to explain. “Only one of you can get pregnant.”

“What are you talking about,” Isabel asked.

“You were and Michael were…designed first,” Max went on. “Therefore only the first can get pregnant. It’s why you two were having the dreams. It’s the alien way of having kids. If it had been me and Tess who had the dreams then she would’ve been the one with the kid.”

“So what you’re saying, Maxwell, is,” said Michael.

“Tess can only have a baby the normal, human way.”

Isabel was starting to freak out. “Oh god, how is this happening? This cannot be happening. I mean I’m only sixteen.”

Michael casually took Isabel in his arms, much to Max’s discomfort. She didn’t resist.

“The good news is it will be as long as the normal way.”

“You call that good news,” Isabel said pulling away from Michael. “How is that good news,” she repeated, “There is growing something inside of me and for all account we don’t know what it is. Isabel crossed her arms and her voice got softer. “I’m not ready to be a teen mom but at the same time I’m screwed because I can’t exactly have an abortion or give it up for adoption either because who knows what kind of DNA it has. What are we gonna do, Michael,” she asked as she looked at him.

“I don’t know,” Michael replied, “but we’ll figure it out. You don’t have to go this alone. I’m here, I promise.”

“So am I,” said Max. “I’ll help in whatever way I can.”

The three of them remained in the desert and then Isabel did the unexpected, she cried in Michael’s shoulders as he held her once more.  
*****

“I have to tell Alex,” Isabel said to Michael an hour later at the Crashdown. Michael had given her a glass of milk like he’d done before.

“I have to tell Maria.”

“God, I don’t even know what I’m gonna say to him.”

“Want me to come with you?”

“No, no I need to do this alone.” Michael nodded, “but thanks for the offer,” she said placing her hands on top of his.

They both looked down and then at each other, their eyes sensing a kind of familiarity that had always been there but was now suddenly intensified.

“Sorry,” Isabel said, pulling away quickly.

“It’s okay,” Michael replied.

“I should probably get home.”

“I’ll drive you. Do you have the keys?”

“Michael, you don’t have to.”

“I want to.”

“What about work, you can’t just leave.”

“I’ll get someone to cover for me. Come on.”

Isabel nodded and once Michael went to the back room to ask one of the cooks she reluctantly finished her glass of milk. If she was going to do this whole baby thing then the least she could do was take care of it. Once Michael was done quickly Isabel handed him the keys and they headed out together.

*****

Isabel found Alex in the quad at school the next day. She asked to speak with him and once they drove out of the school in silence Isabel drove them to the park where they had all met up as a group before.

“You’re not bringing me out here to kill me are you?” Alex asked.

“No,” Isabel assured him, “I just wanna talk. Figured we didn’t need an audience.”

The two found a secluded bench and once seated Isabel remained silent for a moment.

“So what’d you want to talk about,” Alex asked breaking the silence but Isabel continued to remain quiet, trying to gather her thoughts. “It’s true isn’t it,” Alex said for her. “You’re really… you’re really pregnant, aren’t you?”

Isabel looked at Alex before replying.

“Yeah, yeah I am. This is crazy right? I mean who gets pregnant from a dream well surprise I do. It doesn’t even make sense. I’ve gotten into people’s dreams before. You know that’s my power but nothing weird has ever happened, not like this.”

“And you’re absolutely sure?”

“Well I haven’t exactly taken a pregnancy test if that’s what you’re asking. Besides who knows if it would even work but yeah I’m sure. I can just sense him somehow.”

“So it’s a boy?”

“Maybe I don’t know Alex, I’m just guessing here,” she said not wanting to say she had a son in her dreams. “Tess said it’s supposed to happen this way, like we were some kind of experiment and that the other half of the experiment was that Max and Tess could have kids the old fashioned way.”

“That’s a lot to take in.”

“Tell me about it.”

“You know I’m here for you, right?”

“I know but I can’t. I know I said I was ready for a relationship but Alex, I just can’t right now.”

“Why not?”

“Because of the baby, Alex. I don’t want you to feel obligated to be with some pregnant girl.”

“Shouldn’t that be my choice?”

“I can’t do it. I’m sorry, Alex but right now I need Max and I need…Michael.”

“I see.”

“It’s nothing anything like that, nothing like this whole destiny thing, it’s just that he is the…” Isabel brought her tone down to a whisper, “he is the father.” She raised her voice back to normal, “I can’t just ignore that.”

“Sure, sure. I mean it sucks, it sucks for me but I understand, sort of. You’re really not going to let me have a say in this are you? That’s it for us. I guess it was never there but now you’re really backing out.”

“Yeah I guess I am. I am sorry.”

“No I get it. You need to be with Michael. You know he’s not good enough for you, Isabel.”

“Alex, it’s not like that.”

“Maybe not now but what if it gets to be like that?”

“It won’t.”

“You don’t know that.”

“And neither you do. It just can’t be like that with us either. I have to focus on me right now. Me and this thing growing inside of me.”

“So you are keeping him?”

“I don’t know, probably yeah. This is all so complicated Alex, it goes beyond us.”

“Don’t you think I get that?”

“Alex we can’t. I just can’t right now.”

“Okay,” Alex said calmly. “I’ll still be here for you though, as a friend if that’s what you want. If you decide differently I’ll be here that way too. We should get back.”

“Yeah,” Isabel said as Alex made his way back to the jeep, not saying anything else.  
*****

“We need to talk,” Michael said as he grabbed Maria’s arm after class and too her into the eraser room. Once inside he locked the door.

“Isabel’s pregnant,” he flat out said, destroying Maria’s hope of making out.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Maria shot back. “How does something like that even happen? And it’s yours, you’re absolutely sure?”

“Yeah he is.”

It wasn’t lost on Maria that Michael used a gender term.

“Can’t Isabel do like some kind of paternity test or something?”

“Maria, he’s mine alright. I just know and I know Isabel is not my sister and I know it’s this destiny thing or whatever…”

“Wait a sec, destiny? What does that even mean, like you and Isabel were meant for each other?”

“Just forget it.”

“No, I’m not gonna just forget it. You can’t just drop something like that and expect someone to forget it especially me of all people because you know I don’t like to forget things like that.”

“Maria, drop it alright! It doesn’t matter. What matters is Isabel and the baby and that is all I care about.”

“So where does that leave us?”

“We can’t be together,” he said more quickly than she would have liked. He’d already given this a lot of thought apparently. 

“So it’s over just like that?”

“Just like that.”

“You’re not even going to fight for me?” Michael stayed silent. “Okay so let me get this straight: you’re choosing her over me, someone you don’t have feelings for,” Michael again stayed quiet, “Oh my god you do, you have feelings for her. This just keeps getting better and better. Let me ask you then, did you ever feel the same way about me as you do about her?” Michael didn’t say the answer, not wanting to hear the true answer. “I see, so that’s it then.”  
“Yeah.”

“Fine,” Maria said leaving the eraser room.

Though she had been strong and angry Maria couldn’t stop the tears running down her face.  
*****

Come late evening when the Crashdown closed for the night, Liz came over to her two best friends who sat in the back booth.

“Two shakes on the house,” Liz said, pushing Alex over so she could take a seat next to him. Maria had her head down on the table.

“Ugh, I can’t believe he dumped me, just like that. After only two days of dating and it’s over.”

“Well,” said Alex, “If it’s any consolation, Isabel broke up with me too so welcome to the relationship-less club.”

“You know why right,” Maria asked Liz.

Liz nodded, “Max told me.”

“And this whole destiny thing what’s that about?”

Maria looked at Alex, “You got that too hu?”

“So what about Max,” Maria asked, “I mean will he and Tess ever…”

“Oh god I hope not,” Liz said quickly, “Anyways Max said he can have kids the human way so I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”

“You suck.”

“I hate you.”

Alex and Maria said at the same time and then looked at each other as if one took the other’s line but in reverse.

“I don’t get it,” said Maria, “They weren’t even sleeing together.”

“Wait you don’t know,” Alex asked. Maria shook her head no. “Isabel didn’t go into specifics but apparently she and Michael were having dreams about each other.”

“Wait a sec,” said Maria, “Dreams, they were having dreams where they…and that’s how Isabel got… Oh god my ex-boyfriend had a…dream with his best friend. I think I’m gonna be sick. How does something like that even happen?”

Liz contributed to the conversation. “Max said it’s an alien thing. That’s how their kind can have babies. Michael and Isabel, Max and Tess: they were all some kind of experiment. Since Michael and Isabel were the ones who were created…born…first they were the ones who got used to see if they could have kids through dreams. Human and alien genetics with alien reproduction.”

“And Max and Tess?”

“Human an alien genetics with human reproduction.”

“So this whole destiny thing is real,” said Maria.

“No,” Liz said quickly, “I don’t think it is.”

“How can you say that,” Maria asked. “Michael basically broke up with me for her. She’s having his baby.”

Alex nodded, “Same could be said for me. Isabel told me she needed Michael.”

“I’ll do you one better,” Maria said as if it was some sort of competition, “Michael practically admitted he had feelings for her.”

“It’s not destiny,” Liz said forcefully. 

“Yeah you’re just saying that because you don’t want Max to end up with Tess.”

“No I’m not.”

“Sure you are but back to Michael and Isabel. Have you ever seen the two of them show any interest in each other,” asked Maria. She was too quick for anyone to answer, “No and I’ll tell you why: it’s because HELLO, THEY’RE BROTHER and SISTER!”

Alex intervened. “Actually that’s not entirely true. I mean if they were the Evans would have adopted him too. And you know they’ve always been more like best friends. Best friends fall for each other all the time.” Alex and the others noticed what he was saying. “Oh my god, why am I defending them?” he asked as a rhetorical question.

“Beats me,” said Maria.

“Look,” Liz said, “regardless of what they are or what they are not to each other doesn’t matter. They’re our friends and we can’t ignore the fact that Isabel is pregnant…”

“With Michael’s baby, Maria said sourly.

“Anyways,” Liz said going back to what she was saying. “We have to be there for her, for them. We shouldn’t be jerks about it.”

“She’s right,” said Alex.

“I know,” Maria said as she conceded to the fact. “So what do we do, how do we help them?”

Alex said to his friends, “Yeah, I mean this isn’t exactly your normal pregnancy, we’re dealing with alien babies.”

No one had anything left to say. Their worlds had stopped being normal the day they’d found out Max, Michael, and Isabel were aliens. Things had been weird ever since but now this took weird into new territory.

Though it was Liz who’d wanted to help the most she didn’t even have the faintest idea on where to start. How did one help when it came to something like this? Liz figured that just like anything else they would learn on the go. 

And yes, Tess and Max were on Liz’s mind, something she didn’t even want to think about but couldn’t help but she pushed those thoughts to the side, letting her thoughts drift to Michael and Isabel. Isabel most have all must have been so scared. This was her that was happening to, her body that was changing and it must have been terrifying. Liz could never imagine something like that. That’s where she figured she could start. Though she and Isabel weren’t exactly close, maybe something like this could be the help she could offer.  
*****

 

“Thanks,” Isabel said to Michael the next evening as he walked her to her room and into her bed.

“Sure.”

“I don’t know why I’m so tired.”

“Well it probably has something to do with that baby inside you.”

“Don’t remind me. I’m still getting used to idea. I think it’s gonna take some time.”

“No pressure.”

“I still don’t know what I’m gonna tell my parents. They’re going to kill me.”

“Well it’s only been what, a week, less than. We should at least wait three or four. What,” Michael said as Isabel gave him a curious smirk, “I read.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“So how’d it go with Maria?”

“How do you think it went? Sorry.”

“It’s okay. You can still be you, Michael, harsh tone and everything.”

“Thanks but I want to be better. I’m better when I’m with you.”

Isabel smiled, “Me too.”

Both of them gazed into each other’s eyes, the same look they’d shared a few days ago at the Crashdown, eyes that saw deep into each other’s soul.

They both blinked and turned away, severing the bond.

“What about Maria?”

“Well she was over dramatic as usual and then she got super pissed.”

“You didn’t have to break up with her, Michael.”

“Same could be said about you and Alex.”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“Because… because by the time this is all over I’ll be as big as a whale and he shouldn’t have to go through all that. And neither should you. I’m giving you an out, Michael, you should take it.”

“Thanks but I don’t want to. When you talked about me being happy, you asked me if this was something I wanted. This is something I want. I mean as friends. I’m not going anywhere I promise. I never had a dad so I’m never going to do that to our kid. He deserves better and so do you.”

“Thanks.”

Michael smiled. “No problem. You should get some sleep. Do you need anything?”

“Okay,” he said getting up from his seated position on the bed. He made his way to the door and as he was about to leave Isabel called out.  
“Hey Michael, there is one thing I need. Can you stay tonight? I’ll sleep a lot better if you’re there in the other room.”

Michael nodded. “Sure. Goodnight, Iz.”

“Night, Michael.”  
*****

Max walked into his room to find his best friend covered with a sleeping bag and his head on a pillow.

“Jesus Michael,” said Max.

“What?” Michael said getting up. “What time is it?”

“Past midnight.”

“What are you doing home so late?”

“The bigger question is why are you in my room?”

“Isabel didn’t want to be alone tonight so she asked me to stay.”

“She asked you?”

“Yeah. So just like before?”

“Yeah. You got a problem with that, Maxwell? If you do I could always go to Isabel’s room. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”  
“No, the last thing I need is to see you sleeping together.”

“Why does everyone think we’re sleeping together?”

“What?”

“Never mind. I should get some sleep. Goodnight,” he said simply as he went back to his place on the floor.  
*****

The symbols appeared out of nowhere: the square, the oval liked symbol Isabel and Michael had drawn at the library, the circular symbol with a triangle shape in the middle, and the greatest of all, the ‘v’ constellation.

The ‘v’ flashed in white through the sky revealing an image with a very pregnant Isabel, Michael by her side with his hand on her stomach, a flash of a green DNA cell that ended the dream.

Michael jolted from his spot on the floor.

Isabel jolted from her bed.

“Michael,” she called out.

“Isabel,” he said, loud enough for her to hear.

Michael and Max quickly made it into her room. It was Michael who went to Isabel’s side this time and sat near her, his arm around her shoulder. 

“Another dream,” said Max.

Isabel looked down making sure her stomach was still flat. For all she know the information from Tess could have been wrong. What if after a week she’d become enormous but as she looked down she realized she hadn’t been. She looked at Michael and her fears subsided.

“It was nothing,” Isabel said, nearly out of breath.

“Nothing,” Michael agreed with.

“Are you sure?” asked Max.

“Yeah,” Isabel answered.

“Okay then. We should all get some sleep. Regardless of what’s going on we still have to act human, which means we still have to go to school in the morning.”

“He’s right.”

“Yeah.”

“Night, Michael.”

“Night, Iz.”

Max was the first to leave the room and after looking at her one more time, Michael left.

It had been easy for Max to fall back to sleep but it hadn’t be so for Michael. He went downstairs where he found Isabel. It was déjà vu all over again.

“You okay?”

“How d you think I am?”

Isabel looked at the ‘v’ constellation that could be seen in the center of the window, their constellation, hers and Michaels. Rather than spending the rest of the night starring at it, she went and took a seat on the couch.

For a moment she placed her hands over her face before taking them off as she felt the weight of Michael sit on the couch with her.  
“How could this be happening,” she asked more as a rhetorical question, “I thought once I got pregnant these dreams would stop. Michael you were so happy when you touched… when you touched the baby inside me.”

“Yeah.”  
“You know this can’t happen, right?” Isabel asked having said those very words before.

“I know but why not,” Michael asked as he had a few days before at the Crashdown.

This time Isabel a simple answer.”

“It just can’t.”

“That’s not a real answer.”

“It’s the only one I have.”

The two looked at each other and like many times before it was as if they were looking beyond their souls if there was such a thing.  
Before either of them could process what was happening, Michael took Isabel somewhat forcefully, their mouths locked together in a way that felt natural, normal. Isabel ran her hands through Michael’s hair and as their kiss grew stronger a wave of glowing stars went through their minds. They saw Saturn only it wasn’t Saturn at all it was a black planet with rings around it. As the vision of the universe ended, a new vision took its place.

Isabel starred at Michael when they’d met the first time at school. Though they’d known each other having come out of the pods, at the time of which they didn’t remember, Isabel could feel Michael watching her. An instinct compelled them both. Young Isabel left her brother’s side and walked over to Michael. Another memory came into view as Michael was making breakfast not too long ago at the Evans home while Isabel watched and smiled. They could feel the heat, see them flirting which they hadn’t realized at the time. Bam, another vision. Isabel rescuing him from the sweat lodge. Isabel hugging him and kissing his cheek after which felt more like a romantic partner rather than as a friend.

Rather than logic pulling them apart it had been something more. They looked at each other and silently Michael ran his hand down Isabel’s arm. A glow, almost like electricity, traced down. An attraction known only to them.

“What just happened,” Isabel asked.

“We bonded I think or whatever that was. I um…”

“Yeah,” Isabel said, feeling what Michael was feeling until their logic set in. “Michael, this can’t ever happen again.”

Michael nodded, “I know but Iz, you saw all of that. Felt it. We can’t pretend like this never happened.”

“But Michael, aren’t you afraid?”

“Afraid of what?”

“Afraid of this whole destiny thing. Don’t you think we’re feeding right into it?”

“We’re not. It has nothing to do with destiny. It has to do with us. I’ve never felt that kind of connection with anyone before, not with Maria. Can you say the same about Alex?”

“No but…”

“Then see, it’s been there long before this whole destiny crap. We can accept that at least right?”

“I guess but Michael, are we connected as just us or are we connected because of the baby? What happens when he’s born? I mean even if we do any of it would we be together-together or will it just be like one of those things where we raise him together as friends?”

“It’s just us, just you and me.” Michael looked down at Isabel’s stomach and smiled. Isabel, feeling self-conscious, wrapped her arms around it, trying hard for a moment to pretend like it didn’t exist. “We just happened to get something good out of it.”

Isabel couldn’t then help but smile.

“So if we’re not going based off this whole destiny thing then what does that mean for us?”

Michael took Isabel’s hands, “I think we both know the answer to that question.”  
*****

“What are you doing Max asked when he found his sister at the Crashdown the next day.

“Eating,” Isabel replied.

“Since when, you never eat breakfast.”

“Since now and you know it’s surprising that I wanted a root beer float this early. It tastes even better with the Tobasco. Want a sip?”

Max took a seat across from her. “You now that’s not what I meant.”

“I know. I was just really hoping to avoid this conversation.”

“I saw you two last night, you and Michael.”

“We were just talking.”

“Really, because it seemed like a lot more than that. You know you’re lucky mom is away visiting her parents and dad is away at a conference. The whole town might’ve heard you two.”

“Oh god, you not only saw but you heard all that too?”

“I thought these dreams were over, this whole destiny thing was over.”

“It is.”

“Well then what was that all about?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know anything anymore, Max, all I know is that whatever it is, it’s real.” Isabel took a sip of her float and then lowered her voice. “Max, it’s more than just the dreams…it’s more than just the bay… baby. When Michael and I… when we kissed last night we saw these images.”

“What images?”

“Images of a whole other world we didn’t know existed. It could have been home.

“Of the stars too.”

Isabel nodded, a little surprised that he knew.

“We saw each other as kids, felt things that had always been there but started waking up.”

“Feeling, you guys suddenly have feelings for each other now?”

“It’s complicated.”

“It doesn’t have to be and even if it is do you have any idea what this means? It means you and Michael are destined to be with each other and I belong with I’m meant to be with Tess. I belong with Liz.”

“The be with Liz. You said it yourself Max, we control our own lives.”

“And this is you controlling yours?”

The bell to the Crashdown rang before she could answer. Max got up from his seat when he saw Michael walking towards them.  
“Yeah,” he said to Isabel, “I’m sure it is. I have to go.”

“What was that about,” Michael asked as he sat down and took a sip of Isabel’s float. “Seriously, this early in the morning?”

Isabel smiled, “Don’t blame me, blame your son.”

“So really, what was that about, what’s Max’s problem?”

“He saw us last night.”

“You have got to be kidding me.”

“And heard too. We might as well have been doing it on my parents couch.”

“Well it’s a good thing we don’t have to worry about that since you’re already pregnant.”

“Nice.”

“So what’d you tell him?”

“Everything.”

“Everything, you can’t be serious.”

“What was I supposed to say?”

“I don’t know dance around it, tell him it was some weird dream he was having but don’t tell him the truth. This is our business.”  
“That’s just it, Michael, it’s not. He’s my brother. Max would’ve found out sooner or later especially about… and if not from us then from Tess since she knows everything about us.”

“Yeah and now he’s gonna believe this whole destiny thing crap is real.”

“Which it’s not.”

“Oh totally not but he’s gonna think it is and he’s gonna start believing he has no choice but Tess, like he has no other option. You know how he can be.”

“You make a good point. And you know he’s going to tell Liz right?”

“Who’s going to tell Maria, who’s going to tell Alex.”

“It’s the six of us, what’d you expect?”

“I expected Max to keep his mouth shut.”

“Come on Iz, Max can’t ever keep his mouth shut around Liz. Look, it’s over. Nothing we can do about it. Now come on, we gotta get to school.”

“Since when do you care about school?”

“Since I had other plans in mind besides class.”  
*****

“Uh,” Isabel moaned, “this is crazy.”

Michael was right, these other plans were better than class which was rare for Isabel given that she rarely skipped. Being in the eraser room, door locked, was almost a right of passage but she never imagined to be in here with Michael. 

“Definitely crazy,” said Michael as he placed kisses on Isabel’s neck.

“But it feels right doesn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay glad it’s not just me then.”

“Isabel?”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up.”

Isabel did so. As they got lost in each other the flashes continued. It was as if every memory they had, both together and as individuals came floating in. With a little over twelve years, worth of memories the pair could never get enough and no longer did they want to.  
Who needed home videos when you could see and feel the actual events instead?

The two were so gone in each other that they failed to hear the door unlock from the other side.

“Mr. Guerin,” said the school principal. “And Miss Evans. My, my this is surprising.”

“You have got to be kidding me” Maria said as she was passing by to her next class.

“I’ll expect to see you both in detention this afternoon,” the principal said to them.

“Yes sir.”

“Yes sir.”

“Good, now get to class,” he said leaving them.

Michael looked at Isabel once they were out of the room.

“I should um…” Michael was about to say but instead said something else, “Unless you don’t want me to.”

“No go talk to her. I have to get to class anyways. I think I’ve already missed enough. And so have you.”

“Since when do I care about missing class?” he joked, well sort of. Michael placed a kiss on Isabel’s cheek, “I’ll see you later?”

“Later,” Isabel replied.  
*****  
“Maria,” Michael called out. “Maria, wait.”

“You know it’s one thing to know she’s having your baby via some weird alien dream thing but now you’re sleeping with her in the real world?” she said as she stopped.

“No, we’re sleeping together.”

“No, could’ve fooled me.”

“We’re not, not that it’s any of your business.”

“Right. So what I saw in the eraser room just now was you what, doing some kind of exam for biology class. Please. You two really are following through with this destiny thing aren’t you?”

“It’s got nothing to do with that.”

“Really, let’s make a count shall we: you were designed together, you’re having dreams together, you’re having a baby together, and now you’re together-together. Sounds like a lot like your destiny if ya ask me.”

“Well nobody’s asking. It’s not always about you did you ever think about that? Did you ever stop and think about what I want, how I maybe feel, how I maybe wanted a kid.”

“Yeah Michael, believe it or not I actual did but in high school? Are you crazy. The last thing I have ever wanted was to be like my mom. I figured why not wait and you know we’ve never talked about kids anyways so how was I supposed to know that’s what you wanted?”

“You could’ve asked.”

“Why we never talk anyways! Let me ask you something, are you in love with her or better yet, is she the one you always wanted to have kids with, even before this whole destiny crap?”

Michael didn’t answer so that gave Maria all she needed, “I figured as much. You know what, I am so done. Good luck with your happy family, Michael,” she said pushing past him.

*****  
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have talked to her,” Michael said to Isabel as they stood in front of the doors to the Crashdown.

“No, babe, it’s okay. I mean she was going to find out about us anyways, or at least see us at some point. I doubt we could keep our PDA out from the mainstream.”

“Did you just call me, babe?”

Isabel smiled, “Yeah, I guess I did. Is that okay?”

“It’s more than okay. So you’re sure you want to do this?”

“I’m not sure of much these days but it’s not like we can exactly stay away from this place forever.”

“Well then, here goes, nothing.”

The two of them took a deep breath as Michael took Isabel’s hand as they walked into the Crashdown.

People stared as the took a nearby booth. Maria rolled her eyes and made her way to the back. Liz watched but she wasn’t about to take sides so she walked over to her friends.

“Hey guys,” she said to them casually. “Can I get you anything?”

“That’s okay,” said Michael. “I was just about to head to the kitchen to fix us up something.”

“Don’t worry about it, I can get it,” said Liz.

Michael looked at Isabel for a second and then back at Liz.

“Well in that case, two patty melts, a coke and a glass of milk.”

“Can you add root beer float to that, Liz,” Isabel asked.

“Sure thing.”

“Thanks.”  
When she turned to Michael she said, “Milk, really?”

“Yes really. I know we haven’t decided on anything yet but you’ve got to start taking care of yourself. And no root beer floats.”

“Oh come on do you know how badly I’ve been wanting one all day. I won’t even finish it, I’ll only drink half. Okay less than half. And can I at least add Tobasco to both?”

“Not a chance.”

Isabel shook her head and smiled. She found it so cute that Michael was being over protective. Of course he wouldn’t agree to the whole Tobasco thing. He was afraid that it would be too much for the baby to handle. It was bad enough that humans could barely tolerate it that he was not about to take any chances with a yet unborn.

She bit her lip and smiled as she sometimes did, a trait that Michael, often found endearing.  
*****

“Thanks for bringing me home again,” Isabel said later that evening as Michael helped her to her room. “I hate that I’m so tired all the time.”

“It’s to be expected and any time.”

She turned to face him. “Well there is one thing I can’t get tired of.”

“Yeah, what’s that?” Michael asked clearly knowing where this was going.

“This,” she said as she pulled her lips to hers, lightly at first, then heavily to the point they both needed to pull back.

“Sorry?”

“It’s okay.” Once under the covers, Michael asked, “Ya good?”

“Good. One other thing though, do you think you can stay again tonight? I’m not asking because of the baby or some kind of freaky thing like that. I’m asking for me. Will you say?”

Michael took Isabel’s hand and placed a kiss on it. “As long as you need.”

Over the next three weeks Michael and Isabel were in that honeymoon phase where they often made out both in private and in public. They held hands, talked and often joked amongst each other. They were inseparable.

It had been over four weeks and Isabel had already begun to put on a little weight to the point where some people noticed, even her parents but she easily brushed it all off.

All had been going well until one morning when Max found Michael and Isabel sitting next to each other at a nearby booth in the Crashdown. They were so lost in their own world that they didn’t see Max come in and take a seat in front of him.

“This has got to stop, now,” he ordered.

“You can’t stop us from seeing each other,” said Isabel.

“I’m not talking about that,” said Max, “I’m talking about you sleeping over at our house everyday for the past three weeks.”

“Four,” Michael corrected.

“Whatever. If it’s not in my room then it’s in Isabel’s. What’s all this about?”

“It’s complicated,” said Isabel.

“It’s always complicated with you two so explain it.”

Michael looked at Max, “It’s hard to. It’s like this force that keeps drawing us in.”

“We need each other,” Isabel said, “Simple as that.”

“It’s not as simple and you know it.”

“You have to be apart of it to understand it,” said Michael.

“So what, just because I’m not with Tess I don’t understand what you’re going through?”

“No.”

“Absolutely not.”

The couple said at the same time.

Isabel looked at her brother. “We don’t know if this affects humans. You said it yourself, we can’t let some book dictate our lives.”  
“Really because it sure as hell seems to have dictated yours. You’re pregnant for crying out loud, Iz.”

“Hey, do not bring the baby into this. My son has nothing to do with any of this.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“I don’t even know why we’re talking about this, Max. This is your nephew for crying out loud and you’re treating him as if he’s some kind of…”

“Alien.”

Isabel shot him a dirty look warning him that if he took another slam at her son there would be hell to pay.

Max just shook his head and Michael took over. “We’ve chosen each other and it’s not because of some stupid book. I love Isabel and…”

Max and Isabel, included Liz from her spot behind the counter, all froze. Isabel did a double take.

“You what?”

Michael turned to look at her, “I love you.”

Before Isabel could say anything back it was Max who intervened in an unkindly manner.

“Are you sure it has nothing to do with…” 

Isabel stopped him right then and there. “The baby. We’re really going back to this?”

“Yes, we’re really getting back to this.

“No, this has nothing to do with him.”

“It has everything to do with it!” Max said loudly until he brought it back down. “Whether you want to accept it or not, there is something growing inside of you. That changes everything for all of us. We don’t know if it’s human or…or something else.”

“Damn it, don’t you think I know that? Don’t you think I’m as worried about this as you are if not more so? God, Max, this is my body it’s happening to. You have no idea what this is like for me. How terrified I feel and the not knowing part is the worst but you know what, I’m doing my best to believe he is the most beautiful, happy boy that I saw in my dreams. That’s what I’m holding onto so this other crap doesn’t control all of the negative things I feel. So whatever it is you’re feeling, get over it and start thinking about someone else’s feelings for a change.”

Isabel got up from her seat and stormed out.

“Nice, Maxwell,” Michael said as he followed Isabel out of the building and into the passenger side of the jeep.

“What are you doing?”

“Drive.”

“What?”

“Just drive.”

“Where?”

“Anywhere.”  
*****

Back inside the Crashdown Max saw Liz looking up at him. He got up as he followed her into the back room.

“You saw all that, hu?” he asked.

“It was kind of hard not to. What has gotten into you?”

“I don’t know, it’s like ever since Isabel got pregnant I’ve been terrified that it’s going to happen with me.”

“And Tess.”

“Yeah.”

“Didn’t you say it could happen to only one pair?”

“Yeah but…”

“Then you’ve got nothing to worry about. Max you have the choice to have kids the normal way, Isabel didn’t. She didn’t have a choice to have a baby at sixteen and that’s even if she decides to keep it.”

“Maybe in the mean time I don’t know what to do about her or Michael. He stays all night and leaves in the morning. Then often times he stays over at the house for dinner or he drops by on weekends and cooks breakfast for us. It’s weird.”

“Well you guys have always been close so I don’t see what the big deal is.”

“The big deal is that our parents know they’re seeing each other.”

“If that’s it then what’s the problem? I mean if they know they’re together that’s a good thing right?”

“I don’t know. They know they’re together but they don’t know about the baby.”

“And that’s Isabel and Michael’s choice. You can’t be the one to blow the lid off that one.”

“Everything’s just gotten so messed up.”

“That’s it isn’t it? It’s not just Michael and Isabel, it’s about Isabel and the baby. Let’s just take Michael out of the equation. You’re worried about her and the baby.”

“Of course I am.”

“Which is okay, Max. We all are, even Maria though she doesn’t want to admit it.”

“So then you get it. You heard me out there. We don’t know what it is.”

“That ‘it’ you keep referring to is a baby. Isabel might not accept it yet but you haven’t either. Look Max, whatever this kid turns out to be: alien, human, or half alien-half human like the four of you, what Isabel needs from you is your support as her not some leader judging her relationship or the baby. You’re her brother. Stop acting like her leader.”  
****

“What are we doing here, Michael,” Isabel asked as they parked the jeep outside and took a hike to the pod chamber.

Once inside, Michael answered, “Figured this would be a good place to talk, away from everyone else.”

“Talk about what?”

“Anything. Everything. Whatever you want.”

For a moment they stood in silence. Isabel glanced over at the empty pods that had the look of snake sheds. The very place where they were hatched or born or whatever it was you wanted to call it.

“Did you mean what you said earlier?”

“About what?”

“You know what.”

Michael came to where Isabel and took her hands in his.

“When I said I loved you?”

“Yeah that.”

“What do you think?”

“I need you to say it again. No games. Full disclosure.”

“Full disclosure,” he said taking a breath, “Yeah, yeah I meant it. I do mean it. I love you, Isabel.”

Isabel smiled, “I love you too, Michael.”

“But…”

“There is no but.”

“Well you’re obviously thinking of something.”

“No, I am thinking about us, I am, it’s just…”

“The baby.”

“Yeah. You heard what I said back there. I’m terrified, Michael, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am. I’m just good at hiding it.”

“Clearly.”

Michael rubbed Isabel’s arm. “But you know what’s keeping me strong?”

“Like you it’s seeing our son for the first time. And I’m not talking about the first time when he’s born. I’m talking about seeing our son in those dreams. I’d never seen you that happy before either Isabel. And if we do decide this is what we want, what you want, I’ll go along with whatever you choose.”

“I do want to keep this baby,” Isabel finally admitted after over four weeks of waiting on a choice. 

It was not like she had one to begin with. No one knew if aliens could have abortions and if the baby wasn’t human then of course they would raise it but now Isabel had truly made the choice on her own terms.

“You do?”

“Of course I do. I want that more than anything. I just didn’t want to say anything because…”

“You were scared.”

“That and because I thought if I said it out loud it would make it real. I wasn’t ready for it to be real, Michael. I still haven’t gotten used to the whole thing yet but now that I’ve said it, it makes it that much more easier to deal with.”

I understand that but Isabel, why didn’t you just tell me?”

“Guess I thought if you knew how I felt it would push you away. You want this baby so much that I didn’t want my fears to diminish your happiness.”

“Hey, I want you not matter what. Kid or not. I love you.”

Isabel smiled. Michael always had a way of saying the right things especially around her.

“I love you too,” she said as she got into his arms.  
*****

Come later in the evening as Isabel was doing some homework on her bed, Max stood at the door and knocked.

“Can I come in?” he asked.

“What do you want, Max?”

“To apologize,” he said asking her permission to sit on her bed. When she nodded he took a place in front of her, Isabel moving her books aside.

“I owe you a big one. I haven’t been there for you.”

“Max…”

“No I mean it. This is your body. You’re the one going through all of these changes and all I could think about was how it was affecting all of us, how it was affecting me that I didn’t just see you.

“Max, it’s okay,” Isabel said with a shrug.

“No it’s not, Isabel. It’s just a lot deal with. I’ve always felt like it was my job to control things and when I couldn’t control this…”

“You’re afraid of this whole destiny thing?”

Max nodded, “And I know what Tess is saying must be true but I can’t stop thinking that it could be. You saw what was in the book. Liz wasn’t mentioned at all, it was just the four of us.”

“Okay listen to me, just because Liz wasn’t in the book doesn’t mean you can’t be with her. All of this is a load of crap.”

“Then what about you and Michael?”

Isabel shook her head, “Well I do know it seems like we’re following this whole destiny thing. Anyone can see that but it’s not like that for us. It’s not about destiny or dreams or the baby. Michael and I have always had this special connection. It’s different than what you and I have.”

“I’ve noticed. It’s kind of hard not to.”

“Then you’ll also see it’s not about all of that. We had this thing long before we found all of this out.”

“Guess you have a point but what about Alex, what about Maria. I mean were they just…”

“Some kind of distraction?”

“Yeah.”

“No, no those relationships were real.”

“So in a sense you’re saying that you and Michael would have gotten together, like together-together?”

“At some point I guess, yeah,” Isabel said as she thought about the constant times they’d flirted with each other, Isabel could no longer deny that.

“What about the baby?”

“What about him?”

“Well how can I help, not just you two but how can I help him. That is my nephew in there after all,” Max said with a smile.  
Isabel smiled back.  
*****

By this point there was no hiding it. Isabel had reached her eight week mark and soon there would be no avoiding it at all.  
“You ready to do this,” Max asked.

The three of them stood out in front of their house.

“Not really,” said Isabel, “but I don’t exactly have much of a choice. They’re bound to find out sooner or later right? I’m only going to get bigger,” she said with a cringe.

“Hey,” said Michael, “You’ve got Max and you’ve got me.”

“Unless you don’t want me to stay,” Max said to her.”

“No,” Isabel said to him, “you’re part of this now too. Besides, I need my little brother with me.”

Max smiled, “Then I’ve got your back.”

Isabel nodded and the three of them made their way into the house. Isabel found her mom in the kitchen while Max went to get their dad who was in the study working on some case files.

They followed each of their kids into the living room.

“Michael,” said Diane Evans.

“Hi Mrs. Evans, Mr. Evans.”

Diane smiled, “how many times do we have to insist you call us by our names?”

“Sorry, old habit I guess.”

“So what’s going on,” she asked, “you three look like you’re up to something.”

“Um…” Isabel started, “you two might want to sit down, in fact all of us should,” she said as she, her boyfriend, and her brother took a seat on the couch. Michael took a seat on the arm rest with his left arm behind Isabel’s back.

“What is it,” asked Philip.

Isabel looked directly at her parents. 

“There’s no way to say this so um, I’m just going to come out with it and it’s something you’re not going to want to hear but I can’t avoid it much longer. I’m… you’re going to be grandparents,” she said with an awkward smile.

“Huh, say that again,” Philip said, not sure if he’d heard his daughter correctly.

“Yeah um,” Isabel said unsure of which route to take in terms of her words, “you’re going to grandparents…I’m um…I’m.. I’m carrying a baby,” she shook her head feeling uncomfortable with her word choice but the other word wasn’t any easier.

Diane shook her head, “is this for some kind of school project? You guys got a fake baby for class so that’s what you mean when you say you’re carrying a baby?”

“No, no project.”

“Izzy you’re not…” said Philip. “I mean this is some kind of joke right?”

“No joke dad.”

Diane and Philip sat still, both in slight shock. 

“Max,” said Diane as she came out of her state of mind, “Did you know about this?”

“Yeah.”

“How long?”

“Since Isabel found out. We all kind of found out together.”  
Philip looked at his daughter, “You’re brother knows and we’re just finding out about this now?” He turned to Michael, “all of you, so I’m guessing it’s yours.”  
Michael nodded, “Yes sire.”  
“My god, Isabel,” Diane said. “How could you have let this happen? Did your dad and I not teach you anything?  
“Guess I never really thought it could happen.”  
“Oh you never thought it could happen,” said Diane.  
“No, I didn’t even think I could have kids.”  
“You didn’t think you could have kids, where would you get a crazy idea like that?”  
“It doesn’t matter. Guess what matters is I can. I’m sorry.”  
“It’s a little too late for sorry, Isabel,” said Philip.  
“My god,” said Diane, “You’re only sixteen.  
“Yeah,” Isabel said feeling somewhat ashamed.  
“How far a long?”  
“A little over two months.”  
“Two months,” Diane said with more shock in her voice.  
Philip said to her, “And you didn’t think you could come to us?”  
“We wanted to but we couldn’t.”  
“Why couldn’t you,” asked Philip.  
‘”Because we’ve got it handled,” Isabel said to them.  
Diane looked at her daughter, “Oh you’ve got it handled: have you even seen a doctor or taken prenatal vitamins or things of that nature?”  
“No.”  
“Then no, Isabel, you do not have it handled. First thing after school tomorrow I’m taking you to see a doctor.”  
“No,” Max said sternly in only the voice a leader, a king, would take.  
“No,” Philip demanded wanting to know why.  
“I said no.”  
“You’d better watch your tone son,” said Philip.  
“Isabel doesn’t need a doctor. We can take care of this, the three of us.”  
“He’s right,” said Isabel, “I don’t need a doctor.”  
“I don’t understand the three of you,” said Diane, “Max, how can you take care of this? Isabel and the baby will need constant care and…”  
“And they will get it,” Max said keeping up the tone of his voice. “It just has to be on our terms.”  
“Your terms,” said Philip, “I don’t recall giving you permission to give out orders.”  
“Neither do I,” said Isabel.  
“I’m just looking out for you, Iz,” said Max. “You and the baby.”  
“We both are,” said Michael.  
“So you’re siding with him now,” Isabel asked him.  
“Hey,” said Michael, “I’m not taking anyone’s side here but we have to take care of this ourselves. You know that.”  
Diane was surprised at the direction the three of them were taking, especially Max. She had never seen her son like this.  
“That’s exactly what we’re trying to do here, Max,” she said to him.  
“By having her see doctors?” asked Max, “Since when have we ever needed to see a doctor?”  
“Never,” said Philip, “You two have always been healthy kids but your sister is pregnant now. This changes everything.”  
“You’re right,” said Max, “it does which is why we’ve got this handled.”  
“Handled?” asked Diane, “You know you keep saying that but you haven’t told us how. What’s your plan Max, what’s your plan to take care of Isabel and the baby?”  
The three of them all looked at each other and already Isabel knew what her brother was thinking.  
“Max,” said Isabel, “I need to talk to you.”  
“Not now, Iz.”  
“Yes, now,” she ordered as she shot up from her seat.  
The motion caused her to get lightheaded. Michael reached out to steady her.  
“You okay?” he asked.  
“I’m fine.”  
“You sure?”  
“I’m fine, Michael, really. Max we need to talk now.”  
Isabel went to her room and Max reluctantly followed.  
“I guess we’ll be right back,” Michael said to Diane and Philip.  
The parents looked at each other in confusion once the kids were gone.  
“What the hell do you think you’re doing,” Isabel asked when it was just the three of them, the door closed.  
“It’s time we tell them,” Max said simply.  
“Tell them,” said Michael, “What about us?”  
Isabel shook her head, “You’re the one who didn’t want to tell them in the first place, remember?”  
“That was different?”  
“How?”  
“You weren’t pregnant then! At least then I could get mom to back off and stop asking questions. I can’t do that anymore. You, the baby, it changes everything.”  
“It isn’t just your decision to make, Maxwell,” said Michael.  
“Maybe not,” he replied. “It is a decision we all should make but Iz, think about the baby. Think about how confused mom and dad would be. I mean what do we do just leave Roswell? No matter where we go none of this is normal. At least here we have a home. At least we have a support system and it wouldn’t hurt to have mom and dad with us.”  
“Or maybe it would,” said Michael. “No matter what happens we can’t rely on them, that’s just the way it is. So what if we have to leave Roswell. At least it will make this easier to deal with. We wouldn’t have to hide. We could just be two teenagers having a kid. No looking over our backs, no questions asked.  
Max ignored Michael completely and focused on his sister. “You’re the one who said they would accept us.”  
“We can’t especially not now,” said Michael.  
“He’s right,” said Isabel.  
“At least think about the baby.”  
“Don’t you think by now that I haven’t thought about all of this? I have wanted to tell mom and dad since we were kids, god I would give anything for them to know but they can’t, it’s just not possible. It’s too dangerous for them to know.”  
“It’s too dangerous not to,” said Max. “Isabel, you’re going to be carrying this baby for seven months and we still don’t know anything about it. If we don’t tell mom and dad now then they’re just going to start asking questions especially since moving is not an option.”  
“Just because you’re a king doesn’t mean you have control over where we live,” said Isabel.  
Michael took a breath, “he probably doesn’t,” he said, “but he kind of makes a valid point. Even if we were to leave, which I still think we should, your parents would ask questions either way. Maybe if we tell them it will get them off our backs.”  
Isabel paced around the room and ran a hand over her forehead. “I know. I have wanted to tell them for years. I just never imagined it’d be like this. And you’re on board with this, Michael?”  
“For once I’m agreeing with Max,” said Michael. “It’s a risk we have to take.”  
Isabel only nodded.  
They’d finally reached an agreement and headed back to the living room.  
“Okay,” said Philip, “What aren’t you telling us?”  
“How much of that could you hear,” asked Isabel.  
“Enough to know you’re hiding something from us,” said Philip.  
“Now before you say anything,” said Max, “just listen,” he said to their parents.  
Max nodded to Isabel who took over.  
“In order for you to know the truth about the baby,” said Isabel, “you have to know the truth about the three of us. It might be hard to believe but we wouldn’t make something like this up. No one wants to be labeled a freak but we’re different than a lot of people. We were born different. We’re not exactly from around here. We were part of an accident that happened a long time ago, it was only from the time we were six did we come into this world because of that accident but we’ve been here a lot longer than that.”  
“Our ship crashed in 1947,” said Max.  
“1947,” said Philip, “you’re talking about the Roswell crash.”  
“Yeah,” said Max.  
“Honey, there are tons of books out there,” said Diane, “you could have come across something. It’s Roswell, it’s kind of hard not to know about it.”  
“This isn’t something we made up,” said Isabel, “Our ship collided with a weather balloon. We’d been in stasis since that time. We’re aliens, mom and dad, pure and simple.”  
“You can’t be aliens,” said Diane. “You don’t look…”  
“Green or gray,” said Michael.  
“Basically.”  
“We’re half human,” said Isabel.  
“So you’re telling us the other half is alien,” said Philip.  
“Yeah,” said Max.  
“It’s a lot to take in,” Isabel said to them, “and we’ve agonized over telling you for years, at least I have but it’s the truth. We’re still your kids.”  
“Are you,” asked Diane.  
Max answered, “Yes. The only difference is you know who we really are.”  
“It all makes sense,” said Diane, “the grease fire, the dead bird.” She looked at her son, “and at the Crashdown when that gun went off,” said Diane, “You were there. Some witnesses said that Liz was shot and you placed your hands on her like you were healing her. Sheriff Valenti showed me the police report.”  
The three of them looked at each other with concern in their eyes.  
It went unnoticed by the parents.  
“That was you, wasn’t it Max?” Diane asked.  
Max only nodded.  
“Why tell us now?” asked Philip.  
Michael spoke up, “because of Isabel and the baby. It’s because of what we are that she can’t see a doctor, none of us can. We’d be risking our very lives. If the wrong people found out they could put us in a lab and run tests and god knows what else.”  
Silence covered the room as the three of them pondered those terrible scenarios. They’d thought about them from time to time but now the threat would be more real if the parents didn’t handle it well.  
Diane and Philip also took a moment to think about all that had been said. Their kids couldn’t be aliens. It just seemed too impossible. The Roswell Crash of 1947 had only been a myth. Everyone knew that. Sure you had the crack pots, you even had some believers but they weren’t those believers. And now here their kids were, telling them that they were in that crash. It seemed to unreal but the kids seemed to believe every word.  
“Let’s say you are,” said Philip, “Let’s say you really are from that crash, I mean why do you look like teenagers? Should you be in your fifties by now?”  
“We should be,” said Isabel, “but we were in these containments that kept us from aging. We were kids when we emerged from them. We’re not sure exactly how that worked.”  
“You guys really believe this don’t you?” asked Philip.  
“We don’t just believe it,” said Max, “because it’s true. We wouldn’t be making something like this up. We know it sounds crazy but it’s because of Isabel and the baby that we’re telling you this. We would be telling you otherwise.”  
“Mom,” said Isabel, “you asked me why I didn’t believe I could have kids, this is why. Even if I were to have ended up with someone else I wouldn’t have wanted to have kids for this very reason. That they might not be…normal. I’m not normal, none of us are.” Isabel looked up and smiled at Michael, taking his hand, “Lucky for me though there never has been anyone but Michael and I there never will be.”  
Michael took Isabel’s hand and kissed it lightly.  
“We don’t know much about the baby,” said Max, “except that Isabel will carry him for nine months.”  
“We think it’s because of our human DNA,” said Isabel. She took a deep breath, “I didn’t conceive him the way you normally would. Michael and I didn’t… well at least not really. It all happened in our dreams.”  
“What dreams,” asked Diane.  
“Michael and I… let me just say that we had dreams about our son.”  
“So Max,” said Diane, “does this mean you have to have kids…”  
“No,” Max replied, “I’m half human so I can have kids the old fashioned way. It’s this whole half human, half alien thing we think. Half of us get to have kids by alien means and the other half get to have them as human.”  
Isabel took a breath, “I just happened to draw the short straw.”  
“Or maybe,” said Michael, “it was meant to be this way.”  
“Maybe.”  
“Well son,” said Philip, “don’t make me a grandpa too soon, you’re sister has already taken care of that.”  
“Dad, really,” said Isabel, “I’m sitting right here.”  
“Sorry sweetie. Of course I’m not ready to be a grandpa but if what you and your brother are telling us is true then it sounds like there was no choice. That must be hard for you.”  
“You have no idea,” Isabel admitted.  
“So,” Philip asked, “how many people know about all of this? Is there anyone else?”  
“Just three,” said Max, “Liz, Alex and Maria.”  
“So it’s just the six of you?”  
“Well seven,” said Isabel, “if we count Tess.”  
“That new friend of yours,” said Diane.  
“Yeah,” Isabel said, “she’s one of us.”  
“And by ‘one of us’ you mean she’s…she’s an…”  
Isabel used the word her mom was afraid to say, “alien too, yeah she is. I have wanted to tell you both so many times,” she said, “but now with the baby it complicates things.”  
“How so?”  
“If I went to a doctor,” said Isabel, “they would run tests and they would find things.”  
“What kind of things,” asked Philip.  
“Well for starters,” said Max, “we have different cells. They’re green, not red.”  
“So,” said Michael, “the tests, any tests would run red flags. They could find out the truth, put us in some kind of lab and dissect us like insects and worse yet they could take away our baby.”  
“I would die before anything like that happens,” said Isabel.  
“We all would,” Michael assured her. Max nodded to Isabel. “Our boy is apart of us,” Michael continued. He’s one of us and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to protect him or Isabel.”  
Philip nodded, “he’s your son. I understand wanting to protect your kids, Michael, more than you think.”  
“He became my nephew the second Isabel decided to keep the baby,” said Max.  
“Not before,” Diane asked curiously.  
Isabel answered. “Max had a hard time accepting it at first. He didn’t want to believe in this whole destiny thing.”  
Max looked at his sister, “I thought you didn’t believe in this whole destiny thing.”  
“I don’t,” Isabel said quickly. For a moment Isabel stopped speaking as she jumped slightly, as if feeling something that wasn’t there but was. The second time it happened she was ready. “The baby,” she whispered.  
“What is it,” Michael asked very concerned, “Are you okay?”  
“I’m fine, I think. It’s kind of hard to explain.” She took Michael’s hand and placed it on her stomach. “Do you feel that?” she asked as they both felt the flutter inside.  
“Is that what I think it is?”  
Tears began to well in Isabel’s eyes.  
“It’s him. I can feel him inside me.”  
“How is that even possible?” Max asked. “It’s too early for him to start moving.”  
“It’s like you said, Max,” Isabel said to him, “We don’t know anything about this.” She turned to her parents, “We know how hard this must be. It’s hard for us too. Just telling you about all of this is difficult.”  
“But like Isabel said,” Max said to them, “she’s wanted to tell you for a long time and it’s a relief now that she has.”  
“What about you, Max,” asked Philip.  
He shook his head, “I don’t…I didn’t want to risk it. I didn’t think you could be trusted. I still don’t.”  
“Max,” Isabel said nearly scolding him.  
“I’m only being honest.”  
Philip looked at his daughter, “It’s okay, Isabel,” he said to her. “He has every right to be distrustful. I do promise you though, your mother and I both do, none of this changes anything. You’re still our kids. We raised you, we love you.”  
“Unconditionally,” said Diane, “you must see that by now.”  
Max and Isabel looked at each other unsure of what to say.  
“I do have one question in all of this and it’s related more towards the human aspect of things.”  
The three of them nodded.  
“Are you ready to be a teenage mom, Isabel? This isn’t going to be easy. You’re going to be stereotyped. You’re going to be frowned upon. Can you handle all of that?”  
Isabel looked at Michael and smiled. She then turned to her parents, “We can do this. I’ve seen it.”  
“That’s not what she asked,” said Philip. “Are you ready to be a mom, you’re just sixteen. You’re just a sophomore. Alien or not you’ve put yourself in that category now.”  
“Which wasn’t my choice.”  
“Regardless,” said Philip.  
“Well regardless,” said Michael, “I think we’re both ready. We might not have had a choice in this but it’s always been me and Isabel. Even had we been given a choice we would have waited.”  
“You say that like we would have ended up together regardless if this had happened or not. Do you really believe that?”  
“Don’t you?”  
Isabel only smiled knowing that the answer was yes. Michael didn’t need to hear her say the words. He already knew how she felt.  
He could feel Max’s eyes on him, “Don’t start, Maxwell,” he said to his friend, “it has nothing to do with this destiny crap. We would have gotten together at some point. We didn’t need some stupid book or your mom telling us what we already knew.”  
“Your mom,” said Diane, “You found your birth parents?”  
“In a way,” said Max, “it’s an alien thing.”  
“Um…okay,” she said, “Then what’s this about destiny?”  
“It’s a long story,” said Isabel.  
“More alien stuff.”  
“Yeah. Dad, no I’m not ready. What teenager in my position is? I’m sure as heck going to try. I’m actually hoping to be the kind of parents to Jack that you are to me and Max.”  
“Jack,” asked Michael.  
Isabel looked at everyone, surprised that she’d already come up with a name. She placed her hands on her stomach and then down at the small bulge that was starting to form. As she repeated the name to herself it felt normal as if it had been there all along.  
“Yeah, Jack,” she said to them. She looked at Michael, “If that’s okay with you. You saw him Michael, we held our son, we played with him. I don’t know maybe it’s that mother intuition or something but he always felt like a ‘Jack’ to me, Jack Michael Evan Guerin.”  
“No,” said Michael.  
“What do you mean no,” Isabel said feeling protective of the name she’d chosen.  
“It’s Jack Michael Evans.”  
Isabel looked surprised and smiled. “You sure?”  
Michael nodded. “We don’t know our names from back home, we don’t know if we have last names. All we have are the names that we were given to us here. Max is still our leader, your still a princess, and I’m still his second in command here or there. He deserves to have your last name. Jack Guerin Evans.”  
“Okay,” Isabel said placing her hand on Michael’s knee.  
While they were experiencing their little family moment, the phone rang and Max went to go answer it.  
“Hold on Liz slow down… she’s doing what…she has what…okay, yeah we’re on our way.”  
After hanging up Max looked at Michael and his sister. “We have to go,” he said to them.  
“What’s going on?” asked Isabel.  
“I’ll explain on the way. We have to go,” he repeated.  
“Now,” asked Diane, “There’s still so much we don’t know.”  
“You know enough. You know about the baby, you know about us.”  
“And you know we’re still your kids. We can talk later but right now there’s some place we need to be.”  
He nodded to his alien family.  
Once the three of them left the house and jumped in the jeep Max pulled out. “It’s Tess,” was all he said.  
***** Later after several miles when they reached the desert they parked the jeep. Maria’s Jetta was already there. They made their way toward the entrance of the pod chamber. Tess and Liz were waiting for them.  
Maria and Alex were also there.  
After a few weeks from the breakup Alex had been the first to come around. It was easy for him and Isabel to go back to being friends especially since they hadn’t been together that long.  
It took Maria a lot longer. She was part of the group but not really, mainly around as moral support for Liz. After two months she had come around slightly but things would never go back to normal between her and Michael. Not that they’d been normal to begin with but this time was different completely. Michael had made his choice and he chose Isabel, he chose to have a family with her. There was no room in his life for her despite Michael wanting to try as it had been for Isabel and Alex but that just wasn’t a compromise Maria was willing to make. As for her relationship with Isabel, well she didn’t have to worry about that since they’d never really had much of a friendship to begin with. She always felt intimidated by her so there was no love lost there.  
Despite everything, the uncomfortable breakups, the awkward silences, the two were still part of the group. Maria had considered leaving had it not been for her best friend. She wasn’t ready to loose her bff to a group of aliens. So if Liz stayed, she stayed.  
“What’s going on?” Max asked.  
“I’m leaving Roswell,” Tess said flatly.  
This caught everyone off guard.  
“You’re what?” asked Max.  
She shook her head, “I don’t belong here. I never did. Let’s face it, we never had a future together did we, Max?”  
Max didn’t know what to say. “That’s okay. I mean I kind of wanted us to but I can see now that it’s not possible. He’s yours, Liz.”  
This time it was Liz who didn’t know what to say.  
“I’m sure there’s someone out there for you,” said Max.  
“Maybe, just not here. You have a good group here, Max. I just can’t be a part of it.”  
Alex looked at her, “Where will you go?” he asked.  
“Don’t really know,” Tess answered. “I just want to get as far from Roswell as I can.”  
Maria shrugged, “It’s not all that bad.”  
“Are you sure about this,” Liz asked.  
Tess smiled, “I’m pretty good at moving around. Oh, one other thing.” Tess walked over to where the group had hidden the book. She gave it to Max. “You are the rightful king, you deserve to keep this.”  
Max gave a half smile, “We don’t even know how to read it.”  
“You will. Just look deep within you. Everything you need to know is already there.”  
Max nodded as he held the book as if it contained some magical elements which it probably did. If Tess was right they would be able to get the answers they were looking for but were they ready to know? They had denied being what they were for so long, Max most of all had tried to fight against it. Now the answers, much like what they’d discovered in the cave, were closer than they thought.  
“Thank you,” Max said with a smile.  
Tess smiled back.  
“Good luck,” was all Michael had to say.  
With nothing left, the group watched as Tess walked down the rocks and walk away from her life in Roswell. They knew they would never see her again. It wasn’t so much as guessing as it was a feeling. They were connected, despite not knowing Tess that long, and now that bond was gone. It was back to the three of them as it always had been.  
Liz looked at Max. “You okay?”  
Max held Liz in his arms and looked at her, “I have you don’t I, I’m perfect.”  
“So what now,” Alex asked.  
Isabel took a deep breath. She knew that Alex or Maria might not want to hear it but she had to say it anyways. “We find answers,” she said as she motioned to the book. “About us and about the baby. It’s all about Jack now.”  
As Michael held Isabel he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

*****

END.

**Author's Note:**

> should I continue?
> 
> comments always welcome.


End file.
